Watch construction



Dec. 10, 1957 J. KIRSHNER 2,815,640

WATCH CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet l Abtorrwys Dec. 10, 1957 J. KIRSHNER 2,815,640

WATCH CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 20, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 h J5. m

W I Wmtor 2,815,640 WATCH CONSTRUCTION Jack Kirshner, Toronto, Ontario, Canada Application October 26, 1955, Serial No. 541,795

10 Claims. (Cl. 5888) This invention relates to a watch and more particularly to a watch having replaceable ornamentation.

Although the low cost of costume jewelry makes it feasible for a person to possess a wide variety of bracelets, broaches, necklaces and the like suitable for different occasions and ensembles, the high purchase price of watches ordinarily prohibits the ownership of a similar variety of watches. As a consequence watches are often worn which clash with the remainder of an ensemble and furthermore many of the ornamental and decorative possibilities of watches are lost.

The object of this invention is to provide for replaceable ornamentation of watches so as to make it possible to achieve a wide range of designs at a reasonable cost.

The manner in which the foregoing is achieved in accordance with this invention will be apparent from the detailed description which follows of its preferred embodiments of this invention and from the appended claims.

In the drawings which illustrate the preferred embodiments of this invention Figure 1 is a perspective view of a watch in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a perspective detail view of the detachable ornamentation forming part of the watch shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view similar to Figure 2 but showing another type of detachable ornamentation.

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing a further modification of the detachable ornamentation.

Figure 5 is similar to Figure 4 but shows the sections of ornamentation illustrated in Figure 4 attached together.

Figure 6 is a perspective view showing another modification of this invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a different modification of the invention.

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a further modification of the invention.

Figure 9 is a perspective view of another modification.

Figure 10 is a detail perspective view of the detachable ornamentation of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a detail perspective view of a securing pin for the modification shown in Figure 9.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of detachable ornamentation in accordance with another modification of the invention.

Figure 13 is a plan view of a finding for use in this invention.

Figure 14 is an elevation view partly cut away of the finding illustrated in Figure 13.

Figure 15 is a perspective view of one type of crystal for use in the invention.

Figure 16 is a perspective view of a diiferently shaped crystal.

Figure 17 is a perspective view of another form of crystal.

Figure 18 is a perspective view of a further variation in the shape of the crystal.

rates Patent Q Referring now to Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, there is illustrated a conventional watch body It? which includes a central portion 11 containing the watch mechanism and longitudinally extending cars 12 and 13 to which a conventional watch bracelet 14 is attached.

The watch is fitted in a conventional manner with a unique watch crystal 15. It will be noted from Figure l of the drawings that the crystal is of substantial thickness and has side edges 16, 17, 13 and 19 extending upwardly from the watch body 10. Recesses 26 and 21 respectively are formed in the opposite side edges 16 and 17 to engage the replaceable ornamental means which will be described below.

The ornamental means comprises ornamental sections 22 and 23 respectively which are arranged on opposite sides of the crystal 15. Ornamental sections 22 and 23 are shown as being in the form of plain leaf-like strips but it will be appreciated that these may assume a variety of shapes and configurations, may be of any color and may have any of a variety of designs on their surface. Extensible connecting means are provided between ornamental sections 22 and 23 consisting or" tubular members 24 and 25 respectively which are secured by welding or in any other suitable manner to ornamental section 22 and tubular members 26 and 27' which are similarly secured to ornamental section 23. Tube 26 is arranged telescopically to engage the interior of tube 24 and sunilarly tube 27 telescopically engages the interior of tube A tension spring 28 hes within tubes 24 and 26 and a similar tension spring 29 lies within tubes 25 and 27. These tension springs and 29 urge ornamental sections 22 and 23 towards each other. The tension springs 28 and 29 can be anchored in any suitable manner such as by looping the ends such as 3b and 31 of spring 23 over the spaced ends of tubes 24 and 26 respectively.

Ornamental section 22 has a portion 32 in engagement with recess 2%) and ornamental section 23 has a portion 33 in engagement with recess 21. Although recesses 20 and 21 are shown as extending the full width of the crystal, they extend over only part of the width of the crystal if portions 32 and 33 of the ornamental sections are correspondingly shaped.

With the constructions illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 the ornamental sections 22 and 23, due to their engagement with the recesses in watch crystal are securely held in position during normal use of the watch but can readily be detached by grasping each of the ornamental sections and pulling in opposite directions to extend springs 23 and 29. This permits the ornamental sections to be replaced with difierently coloured or designed ornamental sections. it will be noted that the ornamental sections cover substantially the whole surface of the watch except for the watch crystal. Accordingly replacement of the ornamental sections with different ornamental sections will result in an extensive modification of the appearance of the watch.

The structure shown in Figures 1 and 2 has the advantage that the ornamental sections are entirely secured to the specially designed crystal. This makes it possible to modify many types of existing watches merely by changing the crystal. Furthermore, since the ornamental sections co-operate with the side edges of the crystal, crystals can be provided in a series of standard sizes and the se curing means for fastening the crystal in place can be shaped to conform with pre-existing watches of a variety of designs. In addition, due to the thickness of the crystal the ornamentation has the appearance of being an integral part of the watch. Whereas if in some manner ornamentation were secured to a watch having a conventional crystal, the ornamentation would have the appearance of something which has been added to the watch.

Figure 3 shows a modification in which ornamental sections 34 and 35 respectively adapted to be secured to a crystal and watch body similar to that shown in Figure 1 using extensible securing means provided by rods 36 and 37 secured to ornamental section 34 co-operating with tubes 38 and 39 secured to ornamental section 35. Rods 36 and 37 each have enlarged heads 40 having slots ll so that the enlarged heads 40 act resiliently outwards. The enlarged heads 40 resiliently engage recesses 42 in the interior surfaces of tubes 38 and 39 to provide a ratchet-like effect.

in the modification shown in Figures 4 and 5, ornamental section 43 is secured to ornamental section 44 using straps 45 and as which are permanently secured at 47 and 4-3 to ornamental section 43 and which are joined by the engagement of buttons 4-9 on ornamental section 44 which snaps at the free ends of straps 45 and 4s. The ornamental sections shown in Figures 4 and 5 can thus be fitted to a watch crystal as shown in Figure 1.

in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6, the detachable ornamentation .52 is made in one piece and is shaped to provide aperture 5? which engages crystal 15a. The ornamentation 52 is secured to the remainder of the watch by the action of spring forks 54- which engage lugs 55 mounted on ears l3 and T3 of the watch. In the construction shown in Figure 6, the enlarged crystal 15a acts least partially to rigidity the assembly and particularly to prevent longitudinal displacement of the ornamentation. Securing the ornamentation to the ears of the watc has the advantage that strain is removed from the crystal but suffers from the disadvantage that modification of the structure is necessary.

Figure 7 shows construction in which ornamental sections 56 and 5'7 are fitted with posts 58 having enlarged heads to engage recesses 60 formed in watch body ll da to provide a snap-on action. The edges 61 and 62 of ornamental sections 56 and 57 are shaped to conform With the shape of watch crystal 15b so that the resultant watch is of pleasing appearance and the position of the removable onamentation is stabilized by the abutment of the ornamental sections with the watch crystal.

In the structure shown in Figure 8, ornamental sections 62 and 63 are fitted with clios 64- which co-operate with U-shaped attachment ()5 to secure the ornamental sections in place. Edges as and d7 of ornamental sections 63 and 6?. respectively are shaped to conform with watch crystal 15c. U-shaped members 65 may be soldered or attached in any other suitable manner to the watch body or to the ears forming part of the watch body.

Figures 9, l0 and 11 illustrate a further modification in which the ornamentation is formed in one piece and has an aperture to receive crystal lSd. Two pairs of aligned eyes '76 depend downwardly from the removable ornamentation 68 to enable the ornamentation to be secured to the watch by means of pins 71, each having a detachable head 72 thrccdably engaging the main body of the pin at one end and a detachably or permanently secured head 73 at the other end. Pins 71 pass through the apertures provided in ears l2 and 13 for the attachment of the watch bracelet so as to secure the ornamentation in position without modification of the watch other than the use of special crystal 1507.

Figure 12 shows a further modification in which ornamentation 74 is detachably secured to the ears of a watch such as that shown in Figure 9 using pivotally mounted straps 75 mounted by pins 76 at one edge of section 'i -l and engaging catches 7'7 at the other edge of ornamental section 74. Straps 75? are adapted to pass through the apertures formed in cars 12 and 14 of the watch.

Figures 13 and 14- illustrate an alternative construction in which a finding indicated generally at 79 is provided as a base for ornamentation The finding is provided in two sections namely section 81 and section 32 each or" which is shaped from a single sheet of metal plate to provide a mounting surface "03 to which ornamentation .4 is soldered or otherwise adhered, telescoping tubes 84 and 85 respectively which are integrally formed portions of the finding and watch crystal engaging portions 86 which are stepped integrally formed portions of the finding. Tension springs 87 are hooked onto tubes 84 and respectively to draw the sections of the finding towards each other.

Figures l5, l6, l7 and 18 illustrate part of the variety of shapes which may be adopted for the watch crystal. Thus the watch crystal may be rectangular as shown at lSe in Figure 15, square as shown at 151 in Figure to, oval as shown at 15g in Figure 17 or circular as shown at 15h in Figure 18. In each case the crystal is supplied with suitable means such as outwardly projecting skirts '73. 73a, 78b and 78c for securing the crystal in position within the watch body.

l claim:

1. A watch comprising a watch body, a Watch crystal. secured to the face of the watch body, said watch crystal having side edges extending upwardly from the watch body, means defining opposed engaging means in the side edges of the watch crystal, ornamental means adapted to cover substantially the whole of the face of the watch body except for the Watch crystal and connecting means acting to secure said ornamental means to said engaging means during normal use of the Watch, said connecting means being adapted to permit detachment of the ornamental means from the engaging means for replacement by a different ornamental means.

2. A watch comprising a watch body, a watch crystal secured to the face of the watch body, said watch crystal having side edges extending upwardly from the watch body, means defining opposed recesses in side edges of the watch crystal, ornamental means adapted to cover substantially the whole of the face of the watch body except for the watch crystal and connecting means acting to secure said ornamental means in engagement with said recesses during normal use of the Watch, said connecting means being adapted to permit detachment of the ornamental means from the recesses for replacement by a different ornamental means.

3. A watch comprising a watch body, a watch crystal secured to the face of the watch body, said watch crystal having side edges extending upwardly from the watch bod o osed en a in means in the side ed es of the J U D D watch crystal, a pair of ornamental sections disposed with one of said ornamental sections on each of opposite sides of the watch crystal, extensible connecting means between the ornamental sections disposed laterally of and on opposite sides of the watch crystal and being adapted to secure the ornamental sections in engagement with the engaging means during normal use of the watch while permitting detachment of the ornamental means from the engaging means for replacement by a different ornamental means.

4. A watch as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said extensible connecting means comprises a pair of tubes telescoping with each other, each of the tubes being fastened to one of said ornamental sections and tension spring means within the tubes acting to urge said ornamental sections towards each other.

5. A watch as claimed in claim 3 in which each of said extensible connecting means comprises a rod telescoping within a tuoe, the rod and tube each being fas tened to one of said ornamental sections, and said rcd having an enlarged portion resiliently cngageable with recesses defined in the interior of the tube.

6. in a watch, a pair of ornamental sections shaped to engage engaging means in the sides of a watch crystal having side edges extending upwardly from the watch body, and extensible connecting means between said ornamental sections adapted to be disposed laterally of and on opposite sides of said watch crystal, said extensible connecting means being adapted to secure the ornamental sections in engagement with the engaging means during normal use of the watch while permitting detachment of the ornamental means from the engaging means for replacement by a different ornamental means.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6 in which each of said extensible connecting means comprises a pair of tubes telescoping with each other, each of the tubes being fastened to one of said ornamental sections and tension spring means within the tubes acting to urge said ornamental sections towards each other.

8. A device as claimed in claim 6 in which each of said extensible connecting means comprises a rod telescoping within a tube, the rod and tube each being fastened to one of said ornamental sections, and said rod having an enlarged portion resiliently engageable with re cesses defined in the interior of the tube.

9. A watch comprising a watch body, a watch crystal secured to the face of the watch body and having side edges extending upwardly from the watch body and engaging means in said side edges, a finding comprising a pair of sections each of said sections comprising a mounting surface for ornamentation, a pair of tubes telescoping with the corresponding pair of tubes of the other of said pair of sections and means for engaging said engaging means; ornamental means mounted on each of said mounting surfaces for ornamentation and spring means within the tubes acting to urge said pair of sections towards each other.

10. In a watch, a finding adapted to engage engaging means in the sides of a watch crystal having side edges extending upwardly from the' watch body comprising a pair of sections each of said sections comprising a mounting surface for ornamentation, a pair of integrally formed tubes telescoping with the corresponding pair of tubes of the other of said pair of sections and integrally formed means for engaging said engaging means, spring means within the tubes acting to urge said pair of sections towards each other; and ornamental means mounted on each of said mounting surfaces.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,850,216 Ryland Mar. 22, 1932 2,342,804 Hiller Feb. 29, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 207,376 Switzerland Feb. 1, 1940 282,143 Switzerland July 16, 1952 283,489 Switzerland Oct. 1, 1952 289,762 Switzerland July 1, 1953 682,953 Great Britain Nov. 19, 1952 

